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Leader (1850-1860), 4th September 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 5, RAILWAYS IN CANADA. A cobeespondent at Q...

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      American Dlffictjttlfis We Have Had Two ...

      * representing the ruling and prevailing interest pf the trv demand of the Parliament to add to their _dewes bv establishing a militia ; and it is a meat party tion in that king dom whether the safety of England _^ Wl be secured by such an increase , or whether it shall be i _» ft exposed to an invader . What is the condition of English power in Canada and the British provinces ? They have never , since the war 1812 had so small a military force in those provinces as 111 The Imperial Government has maintained heretofore B me show of naval defence upon our lakes . But within months it has broken the whole naval force

      the last six up there and now none whatever exists . While thus showing the supposed motives to peace on the part of Great Britain , 1 confess that peace is no less the interest and the instinct of our own country . The United States might flS £ rrandize themselves by war , but they aTe sure to be _aggrandized by peace . I thank God that the peace of the Jorld is largely subject to the control of these two great powers ; and that , while they have common dispositions toward harmony , neither has need of war to establish its character for firmness or for courage . Each had had enough of

      < The camp , the host , the fight , the conqueror ' s career . '" The Hartford Daily Times , a Connecticut paper , offers a different reason why war is improbable : — " Since the World ' s Fair there has been an increasing friendship springing up between the people of this country and England ; and we are happy to say that it is not confined entirely to the masses . Lord Falmerston and other eminent English statesmen have expressed themselves as decidedly favourable to a closer intimacy and a still greater reciprocity of friendly feelings and of commercial interchange . On our part this sentiment has been received with favour , and liberal views are almost daily

      expressed by our leading men in all parts of the country . We cannot believe that it is the will of the English people to crowd us into a war on that question ; assuredly it is not for their interests to do so . As a marked evidence of the friendly feelings existing on the part of the people of England in relation to the people of this country and of our great inventors and manufacturers , we would refer to the warm-hearted letter of Lord Palmerston to Col . Colt , which was published a few months since . In this letter , lord P . expressed his admiration of the great perfection to which Col . Colt had brought his powerful arm— -the repeating pistol—and took occasion also to express his views of the importance of a fraternal feeling and a liberal policy between England and the United States . "

      Illustrative of this is the fact that a grand ball has been given at St . John's , New Brunswick , to Commodore Perry , of the Mississippi . English officers and the New Brunswickers got it up , and attended it ; and the stars and stripes and union-jack hung side by side . The St . John ' s News has the following : — " This exchange of international courtesies we are proud to see . How much better this than unkind expressions and an exchange of hot shot and spilling of blood . War between England and America may do -well enough to talk about by brainless sumphs—not by men of sense . It is worthy of mention that on Sunday last the harbour of St . John presented an American caste of character . There were twelve large American ships lying at anchor , with their ensigns flying at the peak , as well as the war steamer

      Mississi ppi . Jonathan ruled the waves in port that day . " While upon this subject , wc may mention that the case of these colonics is a hard one . Tho effect of a little _exrifemont has been that Mr . Crampton has told Mr . Webster tbat the treaty shall remain a dead letter for the present . To pacify the American Government , Mr . Crampton is willing to set aside altogether tho treaty as already understood , and allow our neighbours greater privileges than they have over yot enjoyed . In the moantime Bluenose is compelled to look on and grumble , if ho will . Tho next news , perhaps , will bo that England is willing to y ield our fisheries into tho bands of tho Americans , without offering us a quid pro quo in return . What say our Government to this P Do they intend to remonstrate , or , as usual , allow tho country to bo trampled upon without saying a word ?"

      Apart from these great international questions , the solo news is of accidents , Ono is especially dreadful . T \ v <> steamers camo into collision on tho 20 th August , on Lake Erie , near Buffalo , tho Atlantic and the O _ydensburg . A dense fog prevailed at tho time , and , ns the numerous passengers on board the Atlantic , _composed chiefl y of Norwegian emigrants , wore unablo fo see the . exact nature of thoir danger , they wero greatl y alarmed , and several leaped overboard . The _Wiptain endeavoured to restore confidence , and tho _steamer kept , on her course , tho officers hoping to bo "hie to reach port , although the boat was leaking badly ; - »<» water , however , gained rapidly on them , despite ho efforts of the crow , and by tho time they had _prohooded

      about two milos from the spot whero tho _collision took place , it was found that the vessel was rapidly nik mg , (! u , flrt , j n _y- ( , engine-room being _extinguished h y the water . Tho emigrants , who could not '"ider _. _stiuid a word spoken to thorn , by thoir cries and 1 ,, n <> r added to the horror of tho scene . Tho cabin l »» HHe ngors _, iUH \ _^ wlu ) t >() ul ( | , -.. m |( , { o nndcrstand , 'e exhorted by tho captain nnd' officers to remain in « cabin , mid provide themselves with chairs , settees , M ive _., u | i () f whieh were patent life-preservers , and ( . '' "oy them up in the water . Numbers , however , r 'm ,, ng or not , understanding tho advice given them , JiHhed overboard to certain death . At about hulf-piwt _" ° < 'k > amidst the wild shrieks ol' tho passengers , tho

      American Dlffictjttlfis We Have Had Two ...

      steamer settled and sank . The propeller had kept in the wake of the Atlantic , and those on hoard her did all in their power to preserve the lives of the hundreds of human beings who were now seen struggling in the water . The fog was a sad hindrance to their efforts , but about 150 were rescued . The last persons taken from the boat were Mr . Givan , clerk of the boat , aud Mr . Bueil , first engineer . The steamer had then , sunk all "hut her stern , and they , with some Illinois passengers , were clinging to a rope attached to a floating mast and the wreck , being up to their shoulders in water . As

      soon as the shrieks of the drowning passengers were hushed , the voice of a little boy was heard , and it was then first discovered that a child , about eight years old , was also clinging to a rope a short distance off . The little fellow , talking to himself , was saying , " Oh , I can't hold on much longer ! If papa was here he would hold me up . " A man from Illinois , a fine powerful fellow , immediately moved a long rope , and seized the boy as he was about to sink . He held him for some time , and called out to Givan to come to his relief , as he was nearly exhausted by the weight . Givan made an attempt to reach him , but in vain . At that moment the boat of the propeller , loaded to the water ' s edge with rescued passengers , passed , and

      Givan hailed them , and entreated them to save the boy . Mr . Blodgett , first mate of the Atlantic , who was on board , jumped out , and swam to the rope , took the hoy off , and returned to the boat . He was thus saved . The little fellow was with his uncle , who was drowned . The next boat from the propeller took off tbe clerk , first engineer , and the Illinois passenger . The rescued passengers were conveyed to Erie , where on landing they assembled together for the purpose of returning thanks to God for their deliverance . It was stated that about 200 persons , composed chiefly of poor emigrants , had perished . Among the list of missing is the name of Mrs . Cornwell , sister of _Elihu Burritt .

      Ar00506

      Eruption Of Mount Etna. Lettees From Mal...

      ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA . Lettees from Malta give an account of a visit paid by three English officers and three-ladies to Mount Etna , which ended in-a surprising fashion . The party came fromJMalta to witness the great festa at Catania ; and from thence they set out for Etna . At eight p . m . of the 20 fch of August , a party of English , composed of Captain and Mrs . Hallett , two Misses Sankey , the Hon . Lieut . Einch , of the 68 th Light Infantry , and Lieut . Ravenhill , Royal Engineers , with three guides , three muleteers , and a servant ,

      together with eleven mules , left Nicolini , with the intention of ascending Mount Etna , and taking a shelter at the Casa Inglesi . At eleven o ' clock the party , in excellent spirits , reached the Bosco , where they put on their light clothing . The wind was blowing fresh from the westward , so much so , indeed , that the guides persuaded a small Italian party to defer their ascent till the morning , but could not succeed with our friends , the leader of whom had weathered too many stiff breezes at sea to turn his back on one on shore . On , therefore , they went .

      Passing the Bosco about two miles , tho huge crater below Etna , called tho Colossi , glared awfully , and shortly threw up large bodies of fire and smoke . Immediately after Etna vomited forth its fire nnd ashes , and as the wind set towards the Casa Inglesi , it was not prudent to seek its friendly shelter , us , in all probability , it would bo destroyed . Their course was therefore changed , the Colossi being now the point to which it was directed .

      Ihe weather , which had been very cold , was increasing in its comfortless intensity , and when our travellers had got above tho height of tho Casa Inglesi , in a narrow defile , of which sand and small lava wero its component parts , they wero overtaken by a hurricane so violently strong , that in an instant seven mules and their riders wero blown over , and llot only so , but to render the scene moro terrific , it _wjis afterwards found they were blown to the very edge of the crater !

      For the gentlemen to descend iu search of thoir companions was the result of a moment ' s decision . At this time tho scone was indescribably grand . Heaven and earth presented one magnificent glare of light—Etna above vomiting its sulphuric flumes—tho Colossi below belching forth its dense masses of'smoke , lurid from tbo furnace below -the lingo mountain poured out from its interior prolonged meanings—without , tho hurricane roared in all its mighty und awful majesty . Crawling on their knees nnd bands , unable to face the violence of tho hurricane , the gentlemen nought tho ladies , who woro not discovered and collected together till after a search of twenty minutes . They woro then placod under columns of lava ; thoir light ciothing literally blown _olf their backs , and a pyramid of living

      Eruption Of Mount Etna. Lettees From Mal...

      beings was formed around them for their safety and protection . As by magic , the scene suddenly changed . An earthquake shook the land—up jnmped the guides , bawling their unmusical avantil avanti ! ( get on ! get on !)—mules broke from their keepers , and were abandoned to their fate—the hurricane increased in strength _-rrthe scene around was too majestic for contemplation , too diversified for description—in ten minutes the little party had . fallen from sheer exhaustion on the-pointed lava . To face the wind , charged with sand and small stone , was beyond their power . Ih this manner two hours passed away , and most anxiously did they look for the approach of dawn .

      Nothing on this occasion could equal the heroic behaviour of the ladies of the party . On setting forth on their return , the sharp points of the lava presented no obstacle—courageously did they undertake their sixmile walk , regardless of all inconvenience , and reached the Bosco at seven a . ni ., when , after an absence of sixteen hours , a hasty dejeuner was a welcome event . After spending a few minutes in this employment , they continued their journey by mules , and reached Nicolini by ten , whence they started for Catania , which they reached at half-past two p . m . The Italian party which had preceded them , had reported their obstinacy in proceeding against the opinion of their guides , and this led to the natural report that they were numbered with the dead .

      The Malta Mail says " that the Casa Inglesi had been burned ; the farm of Bronti destroyed by the lava , which , however , rolled on but slowly ; and the affrighted peasantry were getting away as fast as possible from the danger by which they were menaced . " We shall probably have further accounts .

      Railways In Canada. A Cobeespondent At Q...

      RAILWAYS IN CANADA . A _cobeespondent at Quebec writes , under date of the 10 th inst .: — " Last Saturday ' s Gazette contained an important proclamation . It was enacted , in the railway act of last session , that if , from any unforeseen cause , the colonies should fail in obtaining from the imperial cabinet the guarantee required to procure English capital to build the trunk line , the Governor should be at liberty to throw open the enterprise to private capitalists in this province arid in the United States , and to advance provincial bonds for one-half the amount required for any singlehue . It seems that our cabinet have only just decided that the negotiation with Sir John Pakington is a failure , and have come to the conclusion tbat , if the main trunk line is to be built at

      all , it must be by our own unaided efforts ; so the proclamation notifies the world that the various sections of the road are at the disposal of capitalists . It must follow the course traced by the government—viz ., from some point on the eastern boundary line of Canada to St . Joseph do la Pointe Levi , from thence to Richmond , to join the Montreal and Portland road ; from Montreal to Kingston , Kingston to Picton , Picton to Toronto , Toronto to Hamilton , Hamilton to Port Sarnia . Companies are already at work on various portions of this lino ; and , with the exception of that part to the east of Quebec , there is somo prospect of tho whole being completed before many years roll over . Parties are stirring actively to obtain subscribers to the following branch lines : —¦

      Miles long . Ottawa line 150 Cobourg to Peterborough .... 30 Toronto to Barrio and Lake Huron . 95 Toronto to Guelph and Goderich . . 130 Hamilton to Buffalo 70 Bnmtford to Buffalo 72 Brantford , Simcoo , and Dover ... 33 Port Dover to Port Burwell .... 45 Port Burwell to Ingersoll .... 35 Port Stanley to London .... . 27 London to Windsor 120 Some of those lines aro actually commenced . With the single exception of tho first , 1 believe that all will pay fair dividends . "

      Tknant Right Banqu10t To Sharman Craw Ix...

      TKNANT RIGHT BANQU _10 T TO _SHARMAN CRAW IX ) U , I ) . _Newtownauos , the stronghold of tho groat Ulster Tenant , Right , party , was selected as a lifting spot to honour Mr . Kharmaii Crawford , defeated af fbo last election b y the combined aristocratic influence of tho county of Down . The banquet took place on Monday , and was a very effective manifestation of opinion on tho subject of tenant-right . A largo pavilion was prepared for tho dinner , but if was found inadequate to the number of gnosis , and a largo portion of the company woro obliged to dine in the neighbouring hotel , and in another house hastily fitted up for tbo occasion . Tho loading advocates of tenant-right from almost , every part of tho country wore in attendance , and among

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 4, 1852, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04091852/page/5/